Telephone system



J. L. McQUARRIEI TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.27. 1918.

PatntedSpt. 21,1920.

I G) f" i SHD In verzior James Z. Me. Qaarrz'e warren stars rarest" caries.

JAMES L. MOQ'U'ARRIE, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTERNELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES L. MGQUARRIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montclair, in the county of Essex, State of of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in telephone systems and has particular reference to a substation apparatus for autolocking device for the impulse sender which will prevent operation thereof until a predetermined time has elapsed after, the removal of the receiver.

Another object is the provision of a de-v vice of the above character which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and readily applicable to substation apparatus of known construction.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illus{ trating the invention, is shown in the accompanying drawing; but it is to be expressly understood that said drawing is employed merely for the purpose of facilitating the description of the invention as a whole and not to define the limits thereof, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

The figure is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section through a deskstand ap paratus showing the application of the invention thereto.

Although the inventlon 1s shown as applied to a deskstand, it will be obvious that, without departing from the'splrit or scope of the invention, the same may also be em- Specification of Letters Patent.

ployed' in connection with other types of substation apparatus, such. as a wall-set.

In the drawing, 1 indicates a 'baseupon which is mounted a variably operable impulse-sending device 2 of any desired construction, and carried by the base is a standard 3. A supporting element 4 is mounted within the standard and adjacent its upper end has pivotel thereto a switchhook 5 carrying the receiver 6. A leaf spring 7 is secured to the supporting element 4 intermediate its ends, and has one end engaged with the depending portion 8 of the inner end of said switchhoolr, whereby the same is swung upwardly about its pivot when the receiver 6 is removed therefrom.

A locking mechanism is provided for the impulse-sending device 2 and preferably consists of an enlargement 9 formed upon the lower side of the dial of said sending device so as to receive the" upper end of a locking pin 10 when the sending device is in normal position and the receiver is on the switchhook. This pin is slidable transversely of the sending device and in parallel relation to the axis of the dial thereof, and has its lower end engaged by the bifur- Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

Application filed December 27, 1918. Serial No. 268,447.

porting element 4. A spring 13 has one end nism, is provided for releasing locking pin- 10 when a predetermined time has elapsed after the removal of receiver 6 from. the switchhook 5,"which operation closes the line circuit for the substation apparatus in a manner well known in the art. This mechanism preferablyfcomprises a rod-'14 slidable longitudinally of the standard 8 and mounted in upper and lower guides15 secured to the supporting element a. The upper end of rod 14 carries a small roller16heldin'en gagement with the lower side of switchhook 5 by means of a spring 17 coiled about the rod 14; and interposed between the upper guide 15 a'ndiroller '16. Carried by the sup- I porting elementd intermediate its ends, is a governing device; which preferably comprises a bracket .18 supporting a shaft 19 which carries a pinion 20 and ,a vane 21 s0 cated end of a lever llpivoted intermediate its ends at 12 to the lower end of the sup- I which, when rotated, offers sufficient resistance to retard the upward movement of rod 14 under the influence of spring 17 when receiver 6 is removed from switchhook 5 in initiating a call. In order that this vane 21 may be rotated, rod 14 has secured thereto a rack 22, the teeth of which engage pinion 20 so that shaft 19 carrying said vane is r0- tated when rod 14 moves upward. The end of lever 11 to which spring 13 is secured is disposed in the path of a trip pin 23 carrier by the lower end of rod 14: so that at the termination of a definite period of time, determined by the governing device, said trip pin will engage said end of the lever and rock the same about the pivot 12, whereby the upper end of pin 10 will be withdrawn from engagement with the enlargement 9 and thus permit the operation of the impulse-sending device. By providing a looking device of this character, it is apparent that a subscriber cannot adjust his sending device to transmit impulses before a definite period of time has elapsed after the removal of receiver 6 from its switchhook, and the possibility of a false setting of switches is therefore materially reduced. Replacing of the receiver upon the switchhook at the termination of the conversation will cause the latter to force rod 14 downwardly toward its normal position against the tension of spring 17 and thus disengage trip pin 23 from lever 11, and spring 13 will return said lever and consequently locking pin 10 to their normal positions, whereupon the calling device will again be locked.

'What is claimed is: e V

1. In an automatic telephone system, a substation apparatus, an impulse-sending device therefor, means normally engaging a portion of said device for preventing operation thereof, a trip movable upon removal of a receiver from its switchhook for releasing said locking means, and means for re tarding the movement of said trip whereby a definite period of time will elapse between the removal of said receiver and the release of said locking means.

2. In an automatic telephone system, a substation apparatus, a telephone line connected thereto, means for closing said line upon the initial movement of said switchhook when the receiver of said apparatus is removed therefrom, an impulse-sending device associated with said substation apparatus, and means for preventing operation of said sending device for a predetermined length of time after the removal of said receiver from its switchhook.

3. In an automatic telephone system, a substation apparatus, an, impulse sending device therefor, meansfor locking said device, actuating means for said locking means, means engageable with said actuating means ing the movement of the last named means to prevent actuation of said lever until a definite period of time has elapsed after the removal of said receiver.

5. In an automatic telephone system, a substation apparatus, an impulse sending device therefor, means for locking said de vice, a lever e-ngageable with said locking means and operable to move the same to an unlocking position, means operable upon removal of a receiver from its switchhook for actuating said lever, means for retarding the movement of the last named means to prevent actuation of said lever until a definiteperiod of time has been elapsed after the removal of said receiver, and means carried by said last named means for rendering said retarding means effective.

6. In an automatic telephone system, a substation apparatus, an impulse sending device therefor, means for locking said device, a lever engageable with said locking means and operable to move the same to an unlocking position, a trip device movable upon the removal of a receiver from its switchhook for engaging and actuating said lever, and retarding means for said trip device operable to prevent engagement thereof with said lever until a definite period of time has elapsed after the removal of-said receiver 7. In an automatic telephone system, a substation apparatus including a support, an impulse sending device for said appa ratus, means for locking said impulse sending device, a lever pivoted to said support and engageable with said locking means for moving the same to an unlocking position, a trip device carried bv said support and movable upon the removal of a receiver from the switchhook for actuating said lever, and means also carried by said support and operated through the movement of said trip device for retarding the movement thereof to prevent the same from actuating said lever until a definite period of time has elapsed after the removal of said receiver.

In witness whereof I hereunto" subscribe my name this Zath day of December A. 1).,

JAMES L. MCQUARRIE. 

